ABOUT US

[100/1]Welcome

Fabryka Broni „Łucznik”-Radom Sp. z o.o.
(‘Archer’-Radom Arms Factory LLC) was incorporated o­n July 14, 2000, 75 years after the first, pre-WW2 Fabryka Broni has been established in Radom. It is a small arms maker and supplier for the Polish Armed Forces and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, as well as for export and civilian markets.

Main product scope of the Fabryka Broni are military firearms: 5.56 mm x 45 NATO Beryl assault rifles and Mini-Beryl automatic carbines, 9 mm x 19 Luger PM-98/PM-06 Glauberyt submachine guns, P99 and Rad semiautomatic pistols, as well as various sporting, hunting and training arms. Custom gunsmithing is another field of activity, where Fabryka Broni excels, offering long years of experience of their skilled workforce and extensive, modern equipment to willing business partners.

The FB also maintains active co-operation with technical schools and R&D institutions, as well as with the end-users of their products, and through this lively feedback brings about the exchange of views, enabling further development, constant modernization and optimizing of the products.

It is an ambition of the Fabryka Broni “Łucznik” - Radom sp. z o.o. that the FB triangular logo would become synonymous with user-safe and user-friendly, reliable, high-quality and modern products.

THE DIFFICULT START

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When Poland regained independence after 123 years of partition and foreign occupation, the question of acquiring national defense industrial capability became a dire necessity. There were no such industry present o­n the Polish soil. The occupying powers (Russia, Germany and Austro-Hungary) did not risk to invest in building munitions industry – lest they were arming Poles for another national uprising, that the 19th Century abounded with. The resurrected state did taken over but a few repair workshops and military armories, enabling nothing more serious than repairs and spare parts manufacturing. These were placed in Brześć o­n Bug, Cracow, Przemyśl, Rzeszów, Warsaw and Poznań. Polish Army, fighting to establish borders of the Second Republic, have used whatever arms were taken over from the occupying powers, as well as stores purchased in France. During the Bolshevik War of 1919-1920 supplies from UK and France were far from ample and regular, being often interrupted by the frequent strikes o­n French railway and – especially – by the British dock workers. These difficulties have o­nce again stressed the necessity of having Poland’s own defense industry built from the scratch.

On April 29, 1922, the Economical Committee of the Council of Ministers voted a resolution to create state-owned munitions industry. In April 1925 a War Industry Board was created, as a governing body to organize the expansion of the arms-making capability and potential. The members of the Board were delegated by the Ministry of Military Affairs (MMA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministries of Treasury, Agriculture, Railroads, Public Works, as well as scientists, chosen by the MMA.

The Safety Triangle

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At the same time a notion was created that majority, if not all, Polish munitions industry should be concentrated within the so-called Safety Triangle – the area of mid-Vistula river-basin, distant from the borders, and additionally securely separated from the Soviet Union by the Poland’s largest river. The Safety Triangle idea is generally attributed to the then Minister of Military Affairs, Gen. K. Sosnkowski. The War Industry Section of the MMA have suggested that all newly-created production capability was situated in the area within the line Warsaw – Końskie – Kielce – Chmielnik – Tarnów – Grybów – Lesko – Przemyśl – Jarosław – Rozwadów – Dęblin – Warsaw. Including nation’s capital, Warsaw, in the Safety Triangle area was open to a heated debate. Warsaw was a large private capital center, but at the same time, a political hotbed, with workers taking active part in the social struggle – o­n both sides of the political divide. Also, the air power development put Warsaw within the range of bombers from East Prussia. Eventually, the military authorities decided then to redefine the boundaries of the Safety Triangle, now to be indicated by the Dęblin – Radom – Kielce railroad as the western bondary, then along Nida and Dunajec rivers down to Nowy Sącz, Jasło, Sanok and Przemyśl, and along San and Vistula rivers back to Dęblin – excluding Warsaw. The Army’s Administrative Chief categorically forbidden to place new national munitions factories in Warsaw as of March 1923. The new investment plan was to be prepared by the Ministry of Military Affairs.

The MMA board under Col. J. Dunajewski’s task was to find suitable locations for future plants. State-owned land was preferred to avoid ownership disputes. The State planned the largest investments within the Safety Triangle, but was unable to finance the whole of the projected endeavor. Some way to attract private capital to the rural areas of the Triangle, away from the material base and markets for the offered goods had to be devised. The o­nly way to get the private capital involved was to create a special economic zone and offer tax reductions to the investors – thus the idea of Central Industrial Area was conceived. Arguments as to the extent of the tax reductions and their place in the legal framework have delayed launching of the program to the post-1926 May Coup era, that brought about stabilization to the state structure and an economic growth. The Army-proposed tax reductions in the new industrial area were set in the Presidential Decree o­n tax reductions for industrial and communication companies of March 22, 1928.

Creation of the Radom Plant

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The plans to establish from the scratch the Państwowa Wytwórnia Broni (PWB, State Arms Plant) in Radom were duly promulgated by the Central Military Plants Authority in 1922. Msc. Eng. Andrzej Dowkontt was appointed Director, with Lt.Col. Jan Siczek as his deputy. o­n March 8, 1923, the Radom local government head had temporarily allowed to store building material at the Mariackie grange. Shortly afterward, a year after the decision was made, construction work commenced in earnest. The construction was advancing at the breath-taking rate – the vast majority of planned buildings were completed within the first year. In 1923 there were already 25520 square meters put under the roof, while in 1924-25 o­nly 1230 sq. meters followed.

In 1925 most of the buildings: main building, steel hardening shop, the power plant, the boiler room, woodshop, bath, the Workers’ House Nr 1 and drying shop, were erected, and in various phases of fitting-out. Interestingly, it was not before December 31, 1927, when the plant was long ago erected, production launched, and hundreds of Radom inhabitants found work there, when the official taking over of the plant area from the local government was held. The act was signed by then Director of the plant, Msc.Eng. Kazimierz Ołdakowski. o­n May 1, 1926, main building, boiler room, polishing shop, woodwork shop, shooting range, water well, water tower, workers’ houses 1-3 and 6, as well as Foremen’s House, Official House, bath and warehouse were taken over as ready for work. The construction work finished in early spring 1927. The April 22, 1927 Council of Ministers’ decree changed the name of the plant to Fabryka Broni (FB, Arms Factory) and placed it at the disposal of the state-owned munitions concern, the Państwowe Wytwórnie Uzbrojenia (PWU, State Armament Works).

FB Radom Long Arms

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In 1921 the Council of Ambassadors, a governing body for surrendered Germany created by the Treaty of Versailles, have decided to hand over the Royal Rifle Plant in Danzig (Gdańsk), o­ne of the main Mauser Gew.98 manufacturers in Germany, to Poland. The Gdańsk machinery were initially shipped over to Warsaw, where they served as the base of the Warsaw’s Państwowa Fabryka Karabinów (PFK, State Rifle Factory). As early as December, 1923 a decision was made to gradually hand-over majority of machines and equipment taken over from Gdańsk to the Radom plant, which was to take over the rifle manufacturing from the Warsaw plant. Some of the early Radom machinery was also handed over from the Dęblin military repair depot. When construction conditions allowed it in late 1924, the machines from Warsaw were transferred to the Radom plant. Over 1000 machines were transferred within 10 months. In 1926 the plant was already capable of manufacturing 250 rifles a day. Until 1939 the machinery of the FB grew to more than 2300 machines and other technical appliances of various types.

Between 1926 and 1939 the main staple of the FB was the 7.9-mm Mauser repeating rifle and carbine. In the beginning it was the kbk wz.98 (Model of 1898) carbine, based upon the WW1 German Kar. 98AZ, taken over from Warsaw’s PFK, which after the Radom factory was activated, switched-over to machine gun production. In 1930 a new infantry carbine was launched in Radom, a “short rifle’ concept-compatible kbk wz.29 carbine. The main difference between the kbk wz.98 and kbk wz.29 carbines was the bayonet mounting system: the wz.29 had a shortened lower handguard, enabling more robust bayonet mounting. After the kbk wz.29 was introduced into the inventory, the kbk wz.98 carbines were phased out from the infantry and taken over by the cavalry. In 1936 FB started production of the modernized Gew.98 rifle – called the kb wz.98a, intended to compliment the armament of the infantry squad, as of 1924 based upon 600-mm barrel length carbines (kbk wz.98 and kbk wz.29). By 1939 a total of 44500 kb wz.98a long rifles were made in Radom.

In 1936 large export orders connected with Spanish Civil War as well as shortage of strategic rifle reserves brought about measures to surge rifle manufacture in Radom. The General Staff decided to extend the FB’s capabilities, ordering a ‘period of extended manufacturing capability’ between June 1937 and April 1939. The target was to convert the FB from single-shift to double-shift organization, in order to raise the monthly output to 13000 rifles/carbines. Financial and organizational problems, lack of qualified cadres that were to be educated from the scratch in a rural area with no industrial background of any kind, as well as problems in machine acquisition hindered the move from the beginning, and as a result of these hindrances the FB reached 13000 monthly target o­nly in 1939, but eventually the plant highly exceeded it then. Production data for the 1st
quarter, the o­nly available for that year, show as many as 58200 kbk wz.29 carbines, 4800 kbk wz.98 carbines, 5250 kb wz.98a rifles and 32300 “kbk E’ export kbk wz.29 carbines, combining to an astonishing 31000 rifles and carbines a month for the first three months of the year. During the whole 12 months of 1938, 50220 kbk wz.29s and 98s, 5280 kb wz.98as and 89 040 kbk Es were manufactured, giving an average monthly output of ca. 12000.

FB Radom Handguns

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The first handgun made in Radom was the Ng wz.30 Nagant revolver, manufactured between 1931 and 1937 for the State Police, Banking Guards, Mail Guards and other state law and order forces. The license for the revolver was purchased in 1930 from Belgian Nagant Bros arms company, which designed this revolver in mid-1890s for Russian Tsar and manufactured the initial batches of the M1895 gas-seal revolver until the manufacturing was taken over by the Russian state. The revolver was obsolescent, but popular – and the license bought from the broke Belgian company along with a fully set-up manufacturing line was dirt-cheap. Until 1937 there were at least 17000 Ng wz.30s made in Radom, and although 1937 have seen a decision to cease manufacture, the last 810 of these were delivered during 1938 (110) and even 1939 (700).

In late 1932 a decision was made to move from Warsaw to Radom the manufacturing of the new 9 mm ‘P.A. WiS wz.1931’ semiautomatic pistol designed by the Fabryka Karabinów. The Fabryka Broni in Radom started preparation for the series production and during summer of 1933 a test batch of under 150 Vis wz.32s was made for troop testing. The troop testing was conducted during fall and winter 1933/34, then in May and June, 1934 the qualification testing followed. Then the development of the pistol was blocked by the Department of Cavalry’s veto – the cavalry demanded means to securely de-cock the pistol single-handedly, while keeping the reins of a horse in the other hand. Complying to this demand meant a thorough redesign of the whole pistol, and have delayed manufacture by more than two years. The redesigned handgun was accepted into the inventory of the Polish Army o­n September 5, 1935 as the ‘9 mm Vis wz.35 semiautomatic pistol’ by order of the Chief of Ordnance Department, Ministry of Military Affairs. The name ‘Vis’ meant ‘force’ in Latin, but in fact was a derivative of the original name ‘W&S’ used in 1931 – ‘W’ standing for Piotr Wilniewczyc and ‘S’ for Jan Skrzypiński, both members of the senior management staff of the PWU and PWU-FK in Warsaw, who initiated and supervised the design. The design itself was done by regretfully forgotten young engineer, Feliks Modzelewski, more known for his part in designing PWU-FK’s Browning-based aerial machineguns. Their pistol combined design features of the Colt 1911 (trigger mechanism) with slide locking inspired by the Saive-Browning FN HP. Modzelewski’s barrel shares the general idea with the BHP, but the unlocking lug is simpler, sturdier and easier to manufacture. The cavalry-enforced de-cocking lever installed in the slide, was a pioneer achievement and first such device ever to be used in a military sidearm. Vis differed from 1911 by lacking external safety – automatic grip safety was the o­nly safety device incorporated other than the de-cocker. What looks like 1911-style safety o­n the frame is in fact mere a disassembly catch to arrest the slide in disassembly position. The 1935 production plans, calling for 11800 pistols by end of FY 1936 and reaching full production target of 15000 pistols a year as of 1937, proved unrealistic. The o­ngoing rifle production surge period called for machines re-arrangement and to meet the production quotas drastic measures had to be taken in other non-priority products. The Ng wz.30 revolver was scrapped altogether, and Vis pistol production was suspended as of end of FY1936 in March 1937. The manufacture of the pistol was restarted in 1938, and stepped up to make up for the losses. The year production quota was reached for the first time in 1938, and even slightly exceeded, with 17900 pistols taken over by the Polish Army in that year. The real mass-production was started o­nly in 1939, though, when 6800 wz.35 pistols were made in Q1, and before the Germans took over Radom o­n September 8, 1939, the number of completed pistols, as proved by the serial numbers, exceeded 49000 – meaning that over 30000, twice the target year capability, were manufactured within just 8 months!

The Other Small Arms from FB Radom

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Other than Mauser rifles, within a period of 1929-30, the FB manufactured also (among others) 3 pressure rifles for ammunition testing, 525 tear gas revolvers, 10 experimental Budzyński carbines, and 1 experimental Kuczyński carbine. In late 1931 the FB, in cooperation with the Warsaw’s Fabryka Karabinów have manufactured a test series of 50 KP-32 carbines – kbk wz.29 modernization attempt by then graduating Msc. Eng. Józef Maroszek, later to design a wz.35 anti-tank rifle and the kbs wz.38M semi-automatic rifle. His first attempt at the rifle design was however found wanting, and was rejected by the review board.

The Radom factory manufactured the single shot rimfire .22-caliber training carbines chambered in the .22 Short, then an initial training and sporting cartridge used by the Polish Army. At first, between 1929 and 1931 this was a kbk S wz.98 – a re-lined and modified kbk wz.98 Mauser carbine, taken over from the Warsaw’s Fabryka Karabinów. Then, in 1931 it was replaced by the Fabryka Broni’s own design, the kbk S wz.31, a single shot carbine designed from the scratch, cheaper and easier to manufacture, and o­nly externally resembling the newly introduced kbk wz.29. The kbkb S wz.31 carbine was being manufactured and delivered to the Polich Army up until the outbreak of the war.

Until end of Q1, 1939, the Fabryka Broni in Radom have delivered 30800 Vis wz.35 pistols, 466800 Mauser carbines and rifles manufactured there as well as 168000 German WW1 rifles repaired and re-built into kbk wz.98 and kbk wz.29 configuration. The remaining six months of peace, the manufacturing was kept at a frantic pace. Though the records are missing, the surge in Vis wz.35 serial numbers – the o­nly regular weapon manufactured there with consecutive, un-coded serials – shows that in 1939 twice as many of these were made, than during the entire earlier manufacturing period! And these were considered second-rate, second priority weapons – o­ne can o­nly speculate how many first-priority rifles and carbines were manufactured at the same time, and figures for the first quarter, showing monthly output of 31000 carbines a month point to figures reaching easily into a quarter of a million range for the entire 1939.

Civilian products

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As of 1929 the Fabryka Broni started a side-show: civilian production to make at least a modest side-income and ease-up o­n the military budget. Bicycle manufacture was started, based o­n a French license. As many as 17 models of the bicycles were offered, showing for the first time a civilian trademark of the FB – Łucznik (Archer) depicted by the art deco-stylized 18th
Century Podhale mountain robber wielding a longbow. Up until the outbreak of the war almost 90000 bicycles were made and sold, o­n both domestic market, and exported to China, India, Chile, Brazil, Syria and Saudi Arabia. Other civilian products encompassed flat grinders, thread-cutting machines, and a wide array of spanners, files and other tools.

Snapshots of the Prewar Fabryka's Life

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On April 11, 1935, the Fabryka Broni engineers have started the first local branch of the SIMP, the Polish Mechanical Engineers Association (SIMP-Radom). The Chairman of the branch was elected Msc. Eng. Eustachy Gutkowski, with TadeuszAnkowski and Janusz Tymowski as his deputies, Ludomir Dzierżanowski as the branch secretary and Witold Ulatowski as a treasurer. The purposes of the branch was to propagate the technical progress, take active part in technical education of the industrial cadres, including the Radom Technical Courses Association, aiming to form a nucleus of the future Radom Technical University. The SIMP-Radom branch numbered 41 members.

In 1937 Rumanian king Charles II, during his tour of the Central Industrial Area visited Fabryka Broni and stayed there for the duration of his visit. For this occasion a simple three-room wooden camping house was erected for the distinguished guest in the factory park.

Two main trade unions were active at the prewar Fabryka Broni. At first, during the 1925-27 period the local branch of the Christian Professional Unity was the main workers’ organization. Then, in 1928, an FB’s own branch of the General Labor Confederation was started, and quickly became the leading union amongst the blue collar workers – not o­nly of the FB, but soon enough, in November 1928, evolved into a GLC’s District Branch for the Radom area. In early 1930s the white-collars have started a trade union of their own, the Intellectual Employees of the Fabryka Broni Trade Union. During the Great Economic Crisis there were several strikes at the FB. The largest o­ne started o­n March 16, 1932, when o­ne third of the workforce stepped off from their machines. The strikers were severely punished, pay demotions and lay-offs were numerous. Economic crisis led to cuts in numerous financial advantages, used to lure the qualified workers to these rural areas, and meant to encourage professional advancement of the employees. In 1933 a fourteenth, and then also a thirteenth monthly pays (introduced in December 1927) were first reduced, then altogether abolished. o­n December 1, 1930 the Fabryka Broni had 2967 employees working 6 o­ne-shift days a week, and o­n January 1, 1939, there were already 4635 employees working in two shifts a day. The mechanical workers, assembly shop employees, as well as woodworkers were working piece rate, while the auxiliary branches (electrics, tool-making, repair shop, administration, security and warehouse staff) were working day rate. The bonuses were issued to award effectiveness – both individual and in whole divisions. The Fabryka also pro-actively supported the professional advancement of the personnel, organizing and paying for evening technical classes led by the Radom Technical Courses Association.

FABRYKA BRONI UNDER GERMAN OCCUPATION

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During the war and German occupation, the Fabryka Broni was put under the administration of the ex-Austrian munitions concern, the Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG. At that time the FB worked three shifts a day, manufacturing and delivering mostly Vis wz.35 pistols to the Heereswaffenamt of the Third Reich.

At first, the Fabryka stood idly for almost a year. Although the Germans captured it intact and in full swing o­n September 8, 1939, after September 17 it became unclear where the new German-Soviet border would be, and whether Radom would not en up in the Soviet zone. As early as fall of 1939 an evacuation of raw materials and machines to Warsaw begun, in preparations for the handing over of the factory. Then the border was set farther east, but still nobody re-started production – this time the delay was caused by the argument between economical power centers in Berlin, as to who would take what industry. At last the FB was excluded from the rest of the PWU taken over by the Hermann Göring-Werke, and consigned to Steyr. All of these, and the time wasted for repatriating part of the already evacuated machinery delayed the re-start of the manufacturing for almost a year – to the fall of 1940. The civilian program was abolished for the duration of war, and left-overs from Polish manufacture were completed first, with the main stress being placed o­n assembling the G.29/40s (a ‘Germanized’ kbk wz.29 carbine, with K98k style woodwork and Steyr code ‘660’ replacing the Polish Eagle o­n the receiver ring), as well as the Vis pistol, now designated the P.35(p). Waffenfabrik Radom, as all Steyr filials, also manufactured parts for the automotive industry and organized a large truck-repair facility. A forced-labor camp for several thousand initially mostly Jews was organized at the factory premises as well. In 1942 the Waffenfabrik Radom was visited by Dr Hans Frank, the Governor General of the occupied Central Poland.

As of 1941, when stocks of ex-Polish rifle parts were exhausted, P.35(p) became the main product of the Waffenfabrik Radom, with a stress placed o­n mass-production and wartime streamlining of the manufacturing technology. Some cosmetics were abandoned, but the most important change was that Radom did no longer delivered a complete product, but a mere part sets sans barrel, made at the main Steyr factory, where final assembly and technical acceptance were also executed. This was a measure to discourage local workforce from smuggling out the pistols to the various factions of the Polish resistance, which sprang throughout Poland almost overnight after the September 1939 defeat. Despite that ingenious ruse, many Radom workers co-operated with the Armed Struggle Union, soon to be renamed the Armia Krajowa, AK – the Home Army. Hundreds of parts sets were smuggled, defying the Gestapo terror. o­n October 16, 1942, 15 Waffenfabrik Radom employees were hanged at the entrance of the factory to discourage the others. The o­nly result was that smuggle rose to a level, which forced the AK to organize a special barrel manufacturing line at Teofil Czajkowski’s mechanical workshop in Warsaw to cope with raising demand for the missing barrels.

Meanwhile at the Waffenfabrik Radom the production technology was being streamlined to promote effectiveness. The stock slot in the grip – never used anyay – was abandoned in 1941. Most of the non-essential polishing was abandoned, surface treatment was simplified – time-consuming and expensive deep bluing gave way to fast and cheap browning. Then in 1943 a subsequent series of shortcuts was implemented, including the elimination of the safety-like disassembly catch, creating what collectors now call a ‘two-lever Radom’, and the Germans designated P.35/II(p). These measures, along with using force labor and three-shift day, resulted in an all-time surge in pistol production numbers: between 1941 and 1944 as much as 350000 pistols were taken over the Heereswaffenamt, seven times the pre-war production in the same four year period. In August 1944, five years after German tanks entered Radom, in view of the advance of the Soviet ‘steamroller’ offensive, a decision was made to evacuate the factory to Austria. Eventually, as no place was found at the Steyr Werke to set up Radom machines, a Steyr filial making automotive parts organized at the Diturvit industrial porcelain plant in Czech Znaim (Znojmo) was chosen for the new manufacturing plant. Machines robbed from Radom were set up there, and in November 1944 assembly of the pistols from ready parts taken from Radom re-commenced. A new, even further simplified model, the P.35/III(p) was designed, with sheet-metal frame, ready to be manufactured as of early 1945. o­n January 2/3, 1945 the Znaim factory was heavily bombed, and these plans were never implemented. The most famous Fabryka Broni product – as the German made Vis wz.35 pistols were still marked ‘F.B. RADOM’, and readily earned the ‘Radom-Pistole’ sobriquet, carried over by their Allied captors and still used throughout the world – was no longer in production. But the last 26 Vis wz.35s ever to be manufactured were made by the ZM Łucznik SA in 1992, when the factory was testing the marketing potential of the replica pistol. The price of the hand-finished prototypes proved to be so prohibitive, that the whole project fell, though.

THE POST-WAR YEARS

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Despite German evacuation, the Soviets did not liberated Radom sooner than January, 1945. o­n January 17, 1945, a 20-person Factory Rebuilding Committee has established itself and set to enormous work of reviving the Fabryka Broni, lacking 85% of the equipment robbed by the retreating Germans. Despite that, even before the war was over, an ordnance repair depot was established at the factory, mending military equipment and weapons. The first postwar director of the factory was appointed Msc. Eng. M. Poniatowski. The main staple of the factory in Cold War realities remained small arms, but civilian production was taking a rising part of the FB output. Łucznik-brand sewing machines, including industrial-type LZ3, own Łucznik-type and license-built Singers, as well as Facit-licensed typewriters were quality products, sought after by the customers. The civilian production also included grinders, Rockwell hardness-probing apparatus, Erichsen apparatus, bicycle rear axles for Romet company, that took over bicycle manufacturing in Radom, door locks, padlocks, automotive spanners, as well as propulsive and steering pneumatics.

Radom Before the Kalashnikov

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In January 1947, the first small arms manufactured at the Radom plant were Soviet licensed Tokarev pistols, known in Poland as ‘pw sz.33’ – ‘pistolet wojskowy wz.1933’ or Model of 1933 Military Pistol. These were initially marked with a prewar triangular FB logo, and carried grip plates with triangular medallions, just like the prewar Vis – but this time the right plate carried letters ‘PW’ inside a triangle instead of ‘VIS’. The Tokarev was being manufactured until 1956, and 225000 pistols were made (including over a dozen thousand of the .22 LR ‘Sportowy’ training variant. o­n September 15, 1948 the name was changed from Państwowa Fabryka Broni (State Arms Factory) to Zjednoczone Zakłady Wyrobów Metalowych, Zakład Nr 1, or United Metalworking Works, Work Nr 1 – thus obliterating the ‘politically incorrect’ prewar name and logo. Further licensed Soviet small arms for the Polish Army commenced into serial manufacture at the Radom plant. In November 1949 the 26 mm signal pistol wz.44 was introduced, manufactured until as late as 1977 in 250000 examples. During the same year the Mosin kbk wz.44 carbine chambered in 7.62 mm x 54R came into series manufacture – 343000 of these were manufactured until 1955. Along with the kbk wz.44 the first post-war Radom’s own design was manufactured, the kbks wz.48 training carbine, being a .22 LR face-lifted to resemble the kbk wz.44 Mosin carbine variant of the pre-war kbk S wz.31. This was manufactured at Radom until 1956, as a main initial training and shooting sports carbine for youth and paramilitary organizations, as well as the military. The kbks wz.48, affectively known as the ‘Radomka’ became the first firearm for generations of Poles, who were taught shooting at school as part of the Junior ROTC-style ‘military education’ classes.

The apex of the production capabilities was reached during the period of 1950-53 Korean War, when working wartime-flat with three shifts a day, hundreds of thousand firearms were manufactured. Two submachine guns were then initiated at the Radom factory, using a new logo since 1950: an oval with ‘11’ code number within, giving rise to the ‘Works 11’ sobriquet. Between 1951 and 1955 as many as 111000 ‘7.62 mm pm wz.41’s (a license-manufactured version of the Soviet PPSh 41) and several dozen thousands of the ‘7.62 mm pm wz.43’ (PPS 43) were manufactured, including a small-scale production of the .22LR training variant of the latter.

On December 31, 1951 the Work Nr 1 was renamed again: this time to Zakłady Metalowe im. gen. Waltera (General Walter Metal Plant, taking its name from a Communist hero, Soviet general of Polish descent, Karol Świerczewski, whose Spanish Civil War nome-de-guerre was ‘General Walter’. This was the character Ernest Hemingway named ‘General Golz’ in his novel ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’).

During the 1950s took place the Radom’s o­nly and short-lived spell as machinegun maker. Just like in the prewar years, when MG manufacturing was Warsaw’s Fabryka Karabinów business, in postwar years this was virtually monopolized by the Poznań’s Cegielski Works. The o­nly real machine guns ever made in Radom were rifle-caliber (7.62 mm x 54R) Soviet-licensed LMGs by V. Degtaryov. During 1952-56 o­nly 3140 tank machine guns, the DTMs, were manufactured, as well as 5700 DP LMGs in 1954 and 10600 modernized DPMs in 1955. Then during 1958-61 came 11100 of another Degtaryov’s LMGs, this time chambered for the 7.62 mm x 39 intermediate round, the ‘7.62 mm rkm D’ known otherwise as RPD.

The Kalashnikovs From Radom

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For over 50 years, starting in 1957, the Kalashnikov AK-series rifles became a standard staple of the Radom factory. This gas-operated automatic rifle chambered for the intermediate round is world-renown as a reliable, virtually indestructible ‘soldier-rifle’ o­n the other hand – and as a tool of ruthless ‘ideological struggle’ for the expansion of communism o­n the other. All types of 7.62 mm x 39 Kalashnikov rifles adopted by the Polish Army were manufactured in Radom:

In the late 1970s a semiautomatic .22 rimfire training carbine based upon the AKM/AKMS rifles was designed, to be manufactured in a pilot series in early 1980s. Regrettably the ‘Talk’ series has not been adopted by the Polish Army. There were two other .22 rimfire rifles, repeaters, designed in Radom at that time, the kl.154 (kbks wz.78) and kl.153 (kbks wz.79). Although developed in Radom, these were not manufactured there, as a decision was made to move all civilian arms production from there to Wifama in Łódź.

A tight control kept o­n licensed AK/AKM development and export by the Soviets made for a bold decision taken in the late 1970s, when another generation of Kalashnikov rifles, the 5.45 mm x 39 AK-74, was offered to all Warsaw Pact countries. Poland, Czech Republic and Rumania opted to design their own rifles instead of buying another license – in a bid to avoid both the outrageous price tag and tightening of the Soviet control over their respective small arms production capability. The new rifle was created within a project code-named ‘Tantal’, and the first prototype was ready as early as 1981. During the Martial Law period (1981-83) the development of the new rifle was interrupted and o­nly reinstated in 1986, when rifle was radically redesigned. In 1988 it was type-certified, and introduced into the inventory of the Polish Army in 1989 as ‘5.45 mm kbk wz.88’, but still popularly known as the ‘Tantal’ rifle. A year later its compact variant, the ‘subkarabinek wz.89’ code-named ‘Onyx’ followed suit, but was never mass-produced – the total number of the o­nyxes never exceeded 200 and they were all marked with “OBR-“ prefixed R&D serial numbers. The Tantal manufacturing commenced in 1990, but soon the political changes, fall of Communism and Warsaw pact, spelled the doom for all weapons chambered in Soviet calibers, condemning them to the fate of a mere stepping stones in Polish small arms history.

In 1992 export variants of the Tantal and o­nyx, chambered in 5.56 mm x 45 NATO were made, but nobody needed them then. Fortunately they were around in 1996, when a decision was announced to welcome Poland into the NATO as of 1999. The manufacture of the Tantal was halted after some 20000 were made, and a new project code-named ‘Beryl’ was commenced in order to re-arm Polish Army with 5.56 mm rifles: the wz.96 assault rifle and wz.96 automatic carbine. Both are still being manufactured and now constitute the backbone of the Polish Army individual weapons inventory, both at home and in overseas missions.

During the 1990s ZM Łucznik SA tried to branch out into civilian market with civilian-legal variants of their main products. Two rifles were then put into series production, the 7.62 mm Hunter based o­n the AKM and .223 Radom-Sport, based o­n the Beryl wz.96. Both were enthusiastically welcomed by the Polish action-shooting circles, but regrettably the Police cut this effort in bud, by denying civilians registration of the rifle.

Polish Compact Submachineguns

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After the licensed production of the large, WW2 submachine guns ceased in 1955, the FB started to prepare for the introduction of the new breed of Polish compact submachine guns or rather machine pistols. The first of these was the pm wz.63 (PM-63) also known as ‘Rak’ (Cancer). This design was initiated at the Warsaw Technological University, by P. Wilniewczyc, the same who set forth ideas for the Vis wz.35 pistol. After he died in 1960, the work was concluded by M. Wakalski, G. Czubak and T. Bednarski, then taken over by the Radom factory design team, where R. Chełmicki and E. Durasiewicz partly redesigned it, making more suitable for mass-production. The first prototype series was made ready for trials in 1964, and then in 1967 a series manufacturing commenced, continuing until 1977, when the last of the ca. 77000 of these handy, small 9 mm x 18 selective fire weapons used by the drivers, AFV crews, ‘WSW’ Military Police and special forces were made. The PM-63 was exported in limited quantities mostly to GDR, where it was used by the East German MdI (Ministry of Inner Affairs) and MfS (Ministry of the State Security, the Stasi). Specimens captured during the 1979 brief Sino-Vietnamese war from Vietnamese tank crews were copied by Norinco and offered for export as Type 82 SMG – but with limited if any success.

The obsolete production technology, entirely based o­n machining made the PM-63 a very expensive weapon to manufacture, and as early as 1975 a project code-named ‘Glauberyt’ was launched to make a modern, cheap compact SMG, a heir to the Rak. From among several R-75 designs a sheet-metal formed and spot-welded R-75-I by R. Chełmicki, J. Chętkiewicz and St. Brix was chosen for further development. The next stage was R-81 (pm wz.81), further developed into a PM-84 chambered for the 9 mm x 18 round, and introduced into the inventory of the Polish Army. Regrettably, the introduction proved to be a little premature, and still several years of de-bugging was needed before it could be finally manufactured. Unfortunately this was already in 1990, and the PM-84 shared the fate of the Tantal – but faster. Already in 1992 it was withdrawn from production and replaced by the St. Brix re-designed PM-84P chambered in 9 mm x 19 Luger, introduced into the inventory of the Police and Army in 1994. The experience with the PM-84P led to a redesign in 1998, when a specifically Police version, the PM-98 was introduced, itself a starting point for still another developmental version, the PM-98s optimized for special units, as of 2006 re-named the PM-06. Both variants, PM-98 and PM-06 are still manufactured and even exported – they are utilized by certain Persian Gulf armies and by Indonesian Police special unit, amongst others.

Czak and Wanad: The Postwar Radom Pistols

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After the Tokarev pistol production ceased in 1956, several new military sidearms chambered for the new 9 mm x 18 Soviet round were proposed. The Radom design team (headed by R. Białostocki and R. Chełmicki) designed the ‘wz.58’ semiautomatic pistol, but it was rejected and finally the new handgun was designed at the WITU (Military Ordnance Materiel Institute) in Zielonka near Warsaw. This pistol, called the ‘CZAK’, after initials of the designers’ names (W. Czepukajtis, R. Zimny, M. Adamczyk i H. Adamczyk, S. Kaczmarski i K. Kowalewski), has been manufactured at the Radom plant as the P-64, with 190000 made between 1966 and 1977. It was a quite successful, but difficult and expensive to manufacture pistol, and so during the 1970s WITU and Radom plant started several R&D programs to create a better and cheaper o­ne. These programs have spawned the aluminum-framed P-70, polymer-framed P-75, and finally, Project ‘Wanad’ pistols P-76 and P-78 with sheet-metal press-formed and spot-welded frames. The Radom’s P-78 was designed by M. Gryszkiewicz in two variants: the P-78A with automatic firing pin lock and P-78B with classic mechanical safety. The military have chosen the P-78B, later known as P-81, and finally accepted into the inventory of the Polish Army and Ministry of Internal Affairs in 1984 as the ‘9 mm pistolet wz.1983 (P-83)’. The P-83 was manufactured until year 2000, but the final numbers are still secret. Besides the military model, a civilian P-83G gas blank model, chambered for the 9 mm PA ammunition was manufactured and sold in 1990s.

At the same time a modernized version of the P-83 was proposed, the P-93, with slightly longer barrel and trigger mechanism of the rejected P-78A and P-81E – with automatic firing pin lock and no mechanical, external, safety. Lack of interest by the state services combined with restricted civilian market spelled the doom for this interesting pistol, finally abandoned in 1995.

Then, in mid-1990s M. Gryszkiewicz have designed MAG-95, a completely new ‘Wonder-Nine’ style pistol – with high capacity magazine for 9 mm x 19 Luger cartridges. Three years later an aluminum-framed variant followed, the MAG-98. It was a good pistol, but o­nce again, lack of military contracts combined with restrictions o­n civilian market have spelled doom o­n it, and the MAG pistol demised with the ZM Łucznik SA in 2000. After several years the MAG briefly resurrected in 2008 as the modernized MAG-08, fitted with light mounting rail under the frame dust-cover.

In 2002 Polish Police have introduced an ultra-modern P-99 polymer-framed semiautomatic pistol designed by the renowned German company of Carl Walther Waffenfabrik of Ulm. o­ne of the conditions set out in the contract was the license-manufacturing in Poland, and so begun the co-operation between Radom and Walther. The P-99p was initially o­nly assembled at the resurrected FB Radom from 100% imported parts, but gradually the FB took over manufacturing of all metal parts for the pistol and o­nly the polymer frame is still German-made. So far the Police have taken over more than 50000 of these pistols, which gradually phases-out all older handguns from the Police – both Radom-manufactured and imported. Recently (2008) another Walther pistol has been offered by the FB Radom for the undercover police, the sub-compact PPS, successfully blending compact size with potent 9 mm x 19 Luger chambering.

Air Guns from Radom

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The first piston-powered air rifle from Radom, the 4.5 mm (.177) kl.87 top-break plinker, was designed by E. Durasiewicz in 1956. The kl.87 remained in manufacturing program until 1980, renamed kl.187 as of 1972. In 1970 a ‘heavy’ export variant, the kl.88 (kl.188 since 1972) with heavier barrel, more precise sight and different woodwork. Between 1971 and 1975 a simplified, cheap kl.141 was also manufactured.

During the 1968-72 period a break-open piston-powered pistol was also designed, patterned after the Walther LP53, manufactured since 1972 as kl.170 pistol. It was also introduced into the inventory of the Polish Army as a training weapon, called the ‘4,5 mm pistolet pneumatyczny wz.1970 (PP-70)’. The kl.170 was manufactured between 1972 and 1977 for both domestic market and export.

Not all Radom-manufactured air guns were simple break-opens: Łucznik also tried to master a more complicated piston-powered weapons with cocking levers: at the bottom (kl.164, developed 1967-73, never manufactured) and o­n the side. The latter branched-out into two models, just like with the earlier kl.87/187 and 88/188 – the ‘light’ model was called the kl.167 and the ‘heavy’ was kl.168. Both were introduced into the military, as ‘wz.82’ and ‘wz.83’ respectively, but their manufacturing was soon moved from Radom to ‘Wifama’ plant in Łódź.

Recently, as of 2005, the FB Łucznik-Radom sp. z o.o. is license-manufacturing British PCP Logun air rifles in 5.5 mm caliber. In contrast to the earlier air guns, the Loguns are marked with the military logo (the FB in triangle) instead of the civilian trademark ‘Łucznik’.

1976: The June Mutiny

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On June 25, 1976 workers of the Zakłady Metalowe Predom–Łucznik (as the plant was known at the time) staged a strike to show their disapproval of the recent decision of the Communist government to raise the food prices severely. The work was interrupted in almost all shops of the plant, and thousands of workers took to the streets, along with their colleagues from other Radom plants, to stage protest under the district Communist Party headquarters. Riot police intervened, which resulted in much street-fighting, and the Party committee has been burned. The Central Committee of the Polish United Workers’ Party revoked the government decisions overnight, but The June Mutiny was to cost Radom dearly. Scores of arrested were brutally beaten by the police, then exemplary trails were staged with severe sentences. Other than the punishment for the individual participants, Radom was collectively punished by the Communist authorities, who withdrawn all centrally-financed investments and cut down subventions. Scores of employees involved in the June Mutiny were fired and blacklisted. Some of these were able to return to Łucznik o­nly after 1980, when Solidarity trade union intervened o­n their behalf.

Poland's Transformation and FB's Resurrection

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In 1990 the name of the plant was o­nce again changed, to Zakłady Metalowe ‘Łucznik’ SA (‘Łucznik’ Metal Plant stock company). The growing digitalization killed the typewriter market, free import cut-down the sewing machines business, and with the military being reduced three-fold within several years, the military production was also reduced, all of which resulted in lay-offs and growing debts for the Radom plant. Since 1998 the ZM Łucznik SA was put into receivership. Growing economic problems, compounded by the helplessness of the consecutive managements, unable to solve the problems without help from the reluctant owner (Łucznik was then still 100% state-owned) spelled the doom for the plant, despite the desperate efforts by the trade unions, staging protests and demonstrations in Warsaw. The fate of the ZM Łucznik SA, for over 75 years Poland’s prime small arms manufacturer, has been sealed o­n November 13, 2000, when the District Economical Court in Radom declared it bankrupt.

But Radom’s lineage was not broken there. Several months earlier, o­n June 30, 2000, the falling ZM Łucznik SA and state Industrial Development Agency (ARP) have chartered another company, called the Fabryka Broni Łucznik-Radom, sp. z o.o., which was soon to take over the ZM’s role and tasks.

In 2002 the company capital was raised, and the ARP’s shares were taken over by PHZ Bumar. At that time the company operated leasing the former ZM machines from the trustee. For over three years the FB vied with trustee for purchasing the necessary real estate, buildings and machinery from the former ZM estate. Finally in October 2004 the Fabryka Broni became an owner of the historical buildings and grounds, since November 2004 started to pay for the machinery in regular installments.

FB Today and Tomorrow

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Each year brings several new modern numerically-controlled work centers to the FB’s equipment. In 2008 two more CNCs were purchased, enabling to increase the quality, while decreasing costs of the manufacturing process. The FB is not satisfied with models taken over from the ZM Łucznik (Beryl, Glauberyt SMG) or foreign-licensed (P-99 and Logun), and takes active part in designing new small arms for the Polish Army and export, like the 5.56 mm SAW-style ‘lkm wz.2003’, the 9 mm modular SMG or the recent MSBS-5,56 modular rifle system to replace the Beryl.

The efforts of the company’s design and managerial staff were rewarded with awards given to the FB Łucznik-Radom sp. z o.o. over the last several years by both the Polish Army’s General Staff and the International Defense Industry Fair (MSPO) in Kielce. In 2008 the FB presented at the MSPO their new military handgun proposition, the Rad (development of the P-99) as well as modified MAG-08. In 2009 crowds were gathered by the MSBS-5,56 mock-ups in both classic and concurrently developed bull-pup configuration.

Awards and honors

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Mod. 96 Beryl Assault Rifle

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The 5.56 mm Mod. 96 Beryl Assault Rifle is an individual selective fire automatic weapon for infantry, airborne and other troops. It is a reliable, accurate, enduring and robustly built rifle, resistant to the environmental challenges.

Sights are open, U-notch type, fitted with integrated tritium-lit night sights, enabling accurate fire both during the day and after dark. For enhanced handling a new, ergonomic pistol grip and optional front grip (fixed to the handguard or detachable using the integrated RIS interface) were fitted.

Beryl has a rifle grenade capability with bullet-trap grenades, enabling live rounds to be used for launching. The stock is rigid, telescoping with optional side-folding stock available. The upper and lower handguard integrated Picatinny rails (MIL-STD-1913 compatible) enable mounting of the different optoelectronic sights.

TECHNICAL DATA:

Caliber: 5.56 mm x 45 NATO

Muzzle velocity (for SS109-type ball ammunition): V0
= 920 m/s

Muzzle energy (for SS109-type ball ammunition): E0
= 1690 J

Firing mode: Single, Burst (3 rds), Cyclic

Cyclic rate of fire: 700 rpm

Effective range: 600 meters

Sight settings: 100-1000 meters in 100 m increments

Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

Method of operation: gas-operated weapon

Number of lands in the bore: 6

Rifling pitch: 228 mm

MEASUREMENTS:

Length with stock extended: 980 mm

Length with stock retracted: 910 mm

Barrel length: 457mm

Sighting radius: 372 mm

WEIGHTS:

Weapon, empty: 3650 g

Magazine (30 rds) empty: 185 g

Magazine (30 rds) loaded: 554 g

Mod. 96 Mini-Beryl Automatic Carbine

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The 5.56 mm Mod. 96 Mini-Beryl Automatic Carbine is a compact individual selective fire automatic weapon for infantry, airborne and other troops. It is a reliable, accurate, enduring and robustly built rifle, resistant to the environmental challenges. Compact size makes it handy for carrying and fighting in enclosed spaces.

Sights are combined, with U-notch and peephole user-selected (L-flip) rear sight and post-type front. Front and rear sights are fitted with integrated tritium-lit night sighting elements, enabling accurate fire both during the day and after dark.

For better handling a new, ergonomic pistol grip and optional front grip (fixed to the handguard or detachable using the integrated RIS interface) were fitted to the Mini-Beryl. The Mini-Beryl has a rifle grenade capability with bullet-trap grenades, enabling live rounds to be used for launching.

Stock is rigid, telescoping with optional side-folding stock available.
The upper and lower handguard integrated Picatinny rails (MIL-STD-1913 compatible) enable to mount different optoelectronic sights, but even without these, the Mini-Beryl features a rear sight cantilever shaped
as a MIL-STD-1913 compatible sight mounting rail.

TECHNICAL DATA:

Caliber: 5.56 mm x 45 NATO

Muzzle velocity (for SS109-type ball ammunition): V0
= 770 m/s

Muzzle energy (for SS109-type ball ammunition): E0
= 1189 J

Firing mode: Single, Burst (3 rds), Cyclic

Cyclic rate of fire: 700 rpm

Effective range: 400 meters

Sight settings: 100, 300 meters in 100 m increments

Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

Method of operation: gas-operated weapon

Number of lands in the bore: 6

Rifling pitch: 228 mm

MEASUREMENTS:

Length with stock extended: 760 mm

Length with stock retracted: 690 mm

Barrel length: 235 mm

Sighting radius: 260 mm

WEIGHTS:

Weapon, empty: 3400 g

Magazine (30 rds) empty: 185 g

Magazine (30 rds) loaded: 554 g

PM-98 Submachine Gun

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The 9 mm PM-98 Glauberyt is a compact individual selective fire weapon for AFV crews, reconnaissance, anti-terrorist and police SWAT units, as well as private security companies personnel. Its light weight
and compact size makes it ideal quick-response weapon. Exceptionally accurate and reliable in tough environment, it is primarily a CQB weapon.

The magazine catch (left-handed version optional) is protected against accidental magazine release by a C-shaped hedge. Circular front sight hood enhances quick aiming. The top MIL-STD-1913 rail for mounting various optoelectronic sights is a standard feature. Horizontal handguard features a central opening at the front, where laser-sights or lights can be mounted, with corresponding pressure switch channels at the sides.

The PM-98 has a telescoping stock with rubber-clad buttplate.

A MIL-STD-1913 compatible top-rail receiver cover is an option with this model.

PM-06 Submachine Gun

The 9 mm PM-06 is a compact individual selective fire weapon for AFV crews, reconnaissance, anti-terrorist and police SWAT units, as well as private security companies personnel. Its light weight
and compact size makes it ideal quick-response weapon. Exceptionally accurate and reliable in tough environment, it is primarily a CQB weapon.

PM-06 has a 3-position telescoping two strut stock and ambidextrous fire-selector lever. The magazine catch (left-handed version optional) is protected against accidental magazine release by a C-shaped hedge. Circular front sight hood enhances quick aiming. The top MIL-STD-1913 rail for mounting various optoelectronic sights is a standard feature. Horizontal handguard features a central opening at the front, where laser-sights or lights can be mounted, with corresponding pressure switch channels at the sides.

A MIL-STD-1913 compatible top-rail receiver cover is an option with this model.

P99 Semiautomatic Pistol

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The 9 x 19 mm Luger P99 pistol is a service and personal defense weapon for law enforcement personnel. Modern design enables it to be carried with a chambered round in complete safety, accelerating firearm response to the scenario. P99 is an ergonomically shaped, reliable and fast-pointing pistol featuring high-contrast day-and-night sights and high-capacity magazine. P99 is also fully ambidextrous. The Tenifer metal coating assures maximum protection of the metal parts against abrasion and corrosion – as well as attractive looks. The polymer-molded frame features a MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) compatible rail at the dust-cover, enabling attaching tactical lights or laser sighting equipment. The P99 can be fitted with three types of trigger-mechanism: the standard Anti Stress (AS) with decocker, DAO or Quick Action (QA).

Types of trigger mechanisms:

Frame:
Polymer with integral tactical light rail and adjustable circumference due to exchangeable back straps.

Technical Data:

P99 AS

P99 QA

P99 DAO

Caliber

9 mm x 19 PARA

Dimensions – L/H/W (mm)

180/137/35

180/137/35

180/137/35

Weight with Magazine, empty

698 g

698 g

698 g

Barell length

102 mm

102 mm

102 mm

Sight length

156 mm

156 mm

156 mm

Capacity

15 rounds

15 rounds

15 rounds

Safety

4 automatic

4 automatic

3 automatic

Decocer

Decocker

Decocker

----

Types of trigger mechanisms

SA + DA

Partly cocked

DA

Frame

Polimer

Polimer

Polimer

Rad Semiautomatic Pistol

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The 9 x 19 mm Luger Rad pistol is a high-tech military sidearm proposition. Textured frame reduces grip-slipping significantly, enabling better control in quick-reaction scenarios. The grip frame has 3 exchangeable back straps (sized S, M and L), tailor-fitting the grip circumference to the shooter’s hand. These back straps are also made of impact-absorbing material, which reduces felt recoil as well. Numerous automatic safety features are incorporated into the design.

Rad has extended ambidextrous slide release and extended ambidextrous magazine release levers fitted as a standard feature. The pistol is fitted with tritium-lit night high contrast sights, enabling accurate firing in both daylight and after dark.

The Rad pistol is available with DAO and QA enhanced-safety, “same-shot-every-shot” trigger mechanisms. The grip frame has an integrated mounting MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) rail for attaching tactical lights and laser sighting devices.

MINI RADOM-SPORT Semiautomatic Pistol

Mini Radom-Sport sporting pistol in .223 Rem is a semi-automatic-only center-fire weapon, designed and manufactured specifically for civilian market.

For ease of use and better handling the magazine release was extended to allow for a quicker reload, as well as the safety lever was fitted with extended flange for easier operation.

The sporting pistol is offered with a short mounting rail fitted with flip-over notch/peep sight, with „1” and „3” (hundred meters) settings as a standard. The rail offers fully compliant Picatinny mounting interface for optoelectronic (e.g. red dot or holographic) sights. Additionally, upper and lower fore-ends are fitted with additional lengths of Picatinny railing, forming a RIS-style fore-end, with extra mounting interface for tactical lighting, laser target designator or foregrip. The pistol has a choice of two fully exchangeable butt stocks, one telescoping, and the other fixed.

RADOM-SPORT Semiautomatic Rifle

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The .223 Rem Radom-Sport center-fire semiautomatic-only rifle for single fire. Popular with the civilian shooters, the Radom-Sport is reputed as exceptionally accurate and precision-made weapon, capable of shooting at extended distances.

To enhance the ease of operation, extended magazine latch lever and extended safety lever with enlarged finger rest were fitted. MIL-STD-1913 rail enables various optoelectronic sights to be fitted.

The Radom-Sport can be ordered with a steel folding stock, wooden rigid stock or plastic telescopic stock.

An assault rifle look-alike version is available as an option. Two versions of assault rifle can be offered:- with Picatinny rail integrated with a sight bed and a reflex sight,- with a sight bed where a reflex sight and Picatinny rail can be mounted o­n.

Replica of BERYL ASG

ASG enthusiasts and militaria fans have waited for that opportunity for long years: a modern, faithfully executed, full-scope military training capable, including tactical, initial marksmanship and CQB training, replica of the 5.56 mm M1996 Beryl Assault Rifle will be available soon!

Realistic Training Replica

Faithfully replicates the original modern battlefield capable 5.56 mm M1996 Beryl Assault Rifle in every aspect.

Replica Capable of using Original Rifle Non-Essential Parts

The current Beryl ASG Replica is a 100% no-firearm with no parts of the military rifle being used, it is however fully-compliant with the original Beryl rifle, and can be readily customized with NON-ESSENTIAL parts – i.e. it would not accept parts needed to make it a functional firearm.

Faithfully Replicates the Polish Army’s Assault Rifle

The Beryl ASG replicates the original version of the Polish Army’s assault rifle down to every smallest detail externally. The weight, mass distribution, materials used, all contribute to offer an extraordinarily faithful representation of the Polish standard individual weapon.

BRS 00 FX Training System

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The BRS FX Training Set is intended for selective-fire and semiautomatic-only Glauberyt family of blowback 9 x19 mm Luger weapons, i.e. for PM-98, PM-06 and BRS-99. It enables semiautomatic fire o­nly independent of the trigger mechanism type.

The set consists of barrel and breechblock, specially fitted to work with FX™ and CQT™ training ammunition. The FX™ ammunition features projectiles filled with water-soluble paint in five different colors. The paint splashes o­n impact, leaving a spot harmlessly marking the POI, thus enabling realistic force-on-force training in CQB, hostage-freeing or VIP-protection scenarios.

The CQT™ ammunition features a hard plastic bullet for safe initial or advanced tactical firearms training in enclosed spaces. Eye-protection is mandatory for training sessions with either type of the training ammunition.

Manufacturer guidelines provided o­n packaging should always be followed during any training employing the FX™ or CQT™ ammunition.

Wz.35 VIS Semiautomatic Pistol

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The Model of 1935 semiautomatic pistol by Piotr Wilniewczyc and Jan Skrzypiński is a personal defense handgun, capable of accurate firing to ca. 50 m. It is a short-recoil operated pistol with breech locked by tilting barrel. Manufactured between 1936 and 1939 at the Fabryka Broni in Radom, it was a standard sidearm of the company-grade officers, NCOs and specialist enlisted personnel in the Polish Army. The manufacturer legend o­n the slide, struck beside Polish Eagle, gave this excellent-quality sidearm its sobriquet of „the Radom pistol”, making it a best known FB product ever, even though o­nly under 50 000 „Eagle Radoms” were made prior to the outbreak of WW2. The design was found sound enough by the Germans to carry o­n production throughout the war (with some 350 000 pistols made), deleting the Eagle from the slides, but retaining manufacturer’s and patent legends.

SERVICES FOR CIVILIAN MARKET

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Experience, modern equipment and knowledge accumulated over decades of small arms manufacturing make the Fabryka Broni „Łucznik” – Radom sp. z o.o. an ideal business partner for companies interested in cooperation. From our side we provide plenty of good will and exquisite quality.

Within the framework of our commercial offer we are interested in starting collaboration in our scope of business activities, taking form of cooperation, technology transfer or joint ventures.

CERTIFICATES

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MULTIMEDIA

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Events participation

[105/116]Europoltech 2013

The Fabryka Broni took part in 8th EUROPOLTECH International Law Enforcement and Homeland Security Technology Exhibition held April 17-19, 2013 in Warsaw. The show was attended by over 100 specialized companies, both domestic and foreign. Numerous demonstrations and discussion panels were also organized.

By taking part in the Exhibition, the Fabryka had a venue to present their hardware in favorable conditions, meet with the end-users and get their feedback, learn about their expectations, start contacts which may prove useful for the future. As the EUROPLOTECH was a closed affair, only law enforcement and homeland security officers and specialists were allowed to attend.

[105/115]Hannover Messe 2013

It was the second time that the Fabryka Broni took part in the International Innovative Technology Fair, the Hannover Messe. Seven Radom region-based metal-processing enterprises embarked on the commercial mission to Hannover organized under the auspices of the Radom City Council.

The leading subject of this year’s Hannover Messe was „Integrated Industry”, and Russia was the Leading Partner. Each of the fair’s exhibition was complemented by numerous discussion forums, panels and meetings.

The Fabryka Broni had a good chance to showcase their leading technologies and an opportunity to make business, commercial and scientific contacts, possibly advantageous in the future.

[105/114]IWA & Outdoor Classics 2013

The 40th, jubilee edition of the International Firearms, Sport Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Show, the IWA & Outdoor Classics 2013 was held in Nuremberg, March 8-11, 2013. Our company Fabryka Broni „Łucznik”–Radom was there, amongst the 1209 exhibitors. In line with the idea of the fair we were exhibiting our products destined for the civilian market, including the Archer rifles and Mini Archer carbines in calibers 5.56 mm, 5.45 mm and .22 LR, as well as the training assets, like Beryl ASG and Mini Beryl ASG, and our OEM offer of firearms barrels. Our Fabryka Broni booth enjoyed much popularity, enabling us to convey our message and offer to the specialized attendence and might prove gainful in the future through new contacts started during this show, being European counterpart of the US SHOT Show.

[105/113]MSBS Draws Crowds at SHOT Show 2013

It was the third time that Fabryka Broni had a booth at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, shared with Bumar and Bumar-Amunicja (Mesko).

At this year’s fair, the FB presented current FB offerings as well as their new models, including Archer rifle and Mini-Archer carbine with integrated AR-15-magazine adapter. Manufacturing services were also offered, including barrels supply, with several examples of barrels available presented.

But the most interesting exhibit was the MSBS-K (Radon-K) rifle, presented to the American and international public for the first time. These were greeted with interest from visitors and professional press alike, who had many words of encouragement.

SHOT Show is THE largest consumer firearms fair in the world, annually visited by tens of thousands dealers, firearms professionals and the single largest gathering of international gun press (more than 2000 journalists were accredited this year alone). Most visitors paying visit to our booth praised the high quality and innovative ideas put together in our products, and we are confident that our brand awareness is steadily rising o­n the American market.

[105/112]New Fabryka Broni Plant Construction Has Begun

o­n Monday, November 19, 2012, the symbolic „first spade” has been excavated at the site, where the new Fabryka Broni’s plant is going to be launched by Q2, 2014. This project, worth over 100 million PLN, is co-financed by the Industry Enhancement Agency (IEA) S.A. and the Bumar Group. The new plant is located outside Radom, within the EURO-PARK WISŁOSAN Tarnobrzeg Special Economic Area, managed by the IEA.The Fabryki Broni CEO, Mr. Tomasz Nita started by greeting distinguished guests, including Mrs. Ewa Kopacz, Speaker of the Parliament, Mr. Mikołaj Budzanowski, the State Treasury Minister, Members of Parliament Mr. Radosław Witkowski and Mr. Marek Suski, Mr. Leszek Ruszczyk, the Vice-Marshal of the Mazovia Province, Mr. Andrzej Kosztowniak, the Radom City Mayor, Mr. Wojciech Dąbrowski, the Board President of Industry Enhancement Agency SA, Mr. Krzysztof Krystowski, the CEO of the Bumar Group, Mr. Ryszard Kardasz, the CEO of the Division Bumar Soldier, and other guests and media representatives.In his speech, Mr. Nita said: ‘This is the defining moment in the history of our company. The sheer magnitude of the change we are about to launch, makes this effectively a new beginning for us. We have to build it o­n a solid basis of the renewed machinery, enabling our production to be all the more effective, to meet and exceed the new standards. We have to have our company thoroughly re-organized. We want our products placed o­n both domestic, and international market.’Mrs. Kopacz said: ‘Beginning today, the new Fabryka Broni’s triangular logo will mark the Europe’s most modern small arms. I’m very glad that the money spent for this particular project, would not o­nly finance the new glamorous structures, but also the Europe’s most modern small arms manufacturing capability.’Mr. Budzanowski addressed the Prime Ministers ‘second expose’: ‘Over a month ago, the PM announced a multibillion investment into Polish Army modernization and enhancement of our international defense markets competitiveness. Now we can see those words coming to fruition in front of our very eyes. We’re talking about the project that is to significantly modernize our defensive capability, as well as influence the local economy, by employing over 500 people at the construction of the new Fabryka Broni’s plant.

[105/111]Fabryka Broni at AUSA 2012

The world premiere of the Radon K (MSAS-5.56K) Basic Rifle in classical configuration was held at the AUSA Annual Meeting and Conference in Washington, DC, October 22-24, 2012. The participation of the Fabryka Broni in the Association of the United States Army show was arranged by o­ne of our American partners. The AUSA is a military-only themed exhibition, showing the newest and the best by the domestic and international martial hardware manufacturers, supplying the America’s military. The annual show is frequented by countless scores of American servicemen, first responders, military experts and tradesmen, as well as foreign delegations, including Polish. The Radon-K rifle was met with great interest, also from the US servicemen, enchanted by its modern design and functionality. The Fabryka Broni was the o­nly Polish manufacturer to take part in this year’s AUSA show.

[105/110]Future Soldier Exhibition & Conference 2012

Future Soldier Exhibition & Conference 2012 took part in Prague, October 17-19. Future Soldier is a dynamic platform gathering representatives and experts from security and defense. The main subject of this year’s meetings was the military use of cybernetic technologies, its ethical and legal aspects.Fabryka Broni as part of the Division Bumar-Soldier presented the Radon Modular Small Arms System-5.56 mm rifles with the 40 mm under-barrel grenade launcher module, as well as a mock-up of the new Polish semiautomatic pistol.

[105/109]MSPO 2012

20th (Jubilee) MSPO, the International Defense Industry Show was held in Kielce, September 3-6, 2012 under the honorary auspices of the President of the Republic of Poland, Mr. Bronisław Komorowski, who presided over the opening ceremony. 400 exhibitors from 29 countries took part, and 13 000 attendees visited the show.The main attraction of our exhibition was the first public presentation of the working prototype of the final rendition of the Radon/MSBS–5,56 mm with new 40 mm under barrel grenade launcher as well as the mock-up of the new semiautomatic pistol. Furthermore the ASG Beryl with Electronic Target System was available for the attendees to try out at the indoor range.One of the booth attractions gathering crowds of spectators were dynamic presentations of the ISW Tytan „Future Soldier” capabilities. The display team, including the actual Military Technology University developers of the system’s components, presented the most recent hi-tech developments employed by the Bumar Soldier, including Radon/MSBS-5,56 mm rifles and Rad semiautomatic pistols manufactured by our company.On the second day of the MSPO, the Industry Enhancement Agency S.A. and Bumar Ltd signed a declaration of co-operation in construction of the new Fabryka Broni plant in Radom. The document was signed in Kielce between Mr. Wojciech Dąbrowski, CEO of the Industry Enhancement Agency S.A., Mr. Krzysztof Krzystowski, CEO of the Bumar Ltd and Mr. Ryszard Kardasz, CEO of the Bumar Soldier S.A., in attandance of Mr. Rafał Baniak, the Undescretary of State in the Ministry of State Treasury.

[105/108]The MSBS-5,56 mm Press Presentation

On August 14, 2012, the Fabryka Broni staged a press demonstration for domestic media of the effects of the R&D effort in Modular Small Arms System-5.56 mm (MSBS-5,56 mm) aka, area.The MSBS rifle is a prototype of the enhanced individual automatic weapon, the design of which was financed from the Fabryka Broni’s own resources. This R&D project started in November 2011 and is scheduled to be concluded by December 2013. This is “Research & Development & Implementation” type of project, meaning that the end result is meant to be to start series manufacturing of the basic individual rifle complete with knife-bayonet and under barrel 40 mm grenade launcher by end 2013.After the static display and presentation at the factory main building, the guests were transferred to Piastowo shooting range, where they were able to try the new weapon dynamically in practice. A shooting contest was held for the prizes, including a Cup sponsored by Mr. Tomasz Nita, the CEO of the Fabryka Broni, as well as Prize, sponsored by the head of the Military Technology University’s Department of Special Technologies, Mr. Ryszard Woźniak. The winner was Mr. Jarosław Lewandowski of the Strzał Gun Magazine.

[105/104]EUROSATORY 2012

Land Defence & Security EUROSATORY 2012 fair, showcasing newest in military and defense technologies and solutions took part between June 11 and 15, 2012 at the Paris-Nord Villepinte expo center.Within the Bumar Group exhibition, Fabryka Broni has started their international promotional campaign of the all-Polish Modular Small Arms System – 5.56 MM (MSAS-5.56, known in Poland as MSBS-5,56) in classical and bull-pup layout, and staged a world premiere of the new 40-mm underbarrel grenade launching module to go with the MSAS-5.56 – both slated to serve as the Polish Soldier of the Future individual armament. New English-language brochures were prepared to mark the occasion. The novel small arms system was greeted with acclaim and made it to the Show Daily, where an article about the MSAS project was published.The bi-annual EUROSATORY is the largest European defense trade fair, gathering the widest circle of international customers, and the right place to seek new contacts.

[105/103]ITM Poland 2012

Poland’s largest Technological Fair, the ITM Polska, were held in Poznan. The Fabryka Broni had a booth there as a part of the ‘Technology and Modernity – Economic Promotion of the Southern Mazowsze Region” Project, and showcased its plastic forming, mechanical treatment, heat treatment and cold surface treatment.This year’s fair attracted over 900 companies from 32 countries, offering solutions for automotive, machine building, aerospace, steel, mining or defense industries.Our experience, modern machines, and knowledge accumulated over the years make us a perfect partner, and professionalism coupled with most modern technologies guarantee the highest quality of our services.By taking part in ITM Polska fair, we had a wonderful opportunity to check o­n innovative industrial solutions, to meet our customers, media and to exchange views and experiences.

[105/102]KADEX 2012 in Kazakhstan

o­n May 3-6 the Fabryka Broni took part in the International Defense Industry Fair KADEX 2012 in Astana, Kazakhstan. It was the second edition of the show, growing in popularity amongst the defensive systems and military equipment manufacturers. This year’s leading themes were armament and military hardware for the land forces and navies, air forces and air weapons, anti-aircraft systems and weapons, special purpose hardware, IT-technologies, communication equipment and technical services for the military. Over 250 companies presented their products.By participating in the show, the Fabryka Broni had a chance to showcase their products to a potential new client. The fair was also a magnificent place to solicit new business contacts.

[105/101]Hannover Meese 2012 in Germany

For the first time Fabryka Broni took part in the International Hannover Messe Trade Fair, held in Hannover, April 23-27. The fair participation was a part of the “Technology and Modernity – the Southern Mazovia Economical Promotion” project co-financed by European Regional Development Fund within their Priority I “Innovative Potential and Enterprising Development in Mazovia”, Activity 1.7 “Economical Promotion” of the Mazovia District Regional Operation Program 2007-2013. It was aimed at creation of the positive business image of Mazovia and Radom, and to underline the investment attractiveness of Radom as an investment and new technologies-friendly city. Thanks to the Radom’s Mayor Office 10 companies based in the former Radom District took part in the project.The Hannover Messe is the world’s most important technology industry’s trade show, involving conferences, exhibitions and lectures. The leading country this year was China, the worldwide leader in technology trade.At the Fabryka Broni booth the most modern technologies employed in barrel cold-hammering, forming processes and CNC-machining were exhibited.

[105/100]DEFEXPO 2012 in India

The DEFEXPO 2012 trade show was held in New Delhi, India, between March 29 and April 1. DEFEXPO is the Subcontinent’s largest gathering of defense manufacturers, held every two years, and o­ne of the most important arms shows in the world. 567 exhibitors from 32 countries exhibited their wares. This year’s DEFEXPO was the 7th edition, and was dedicated to defense products for land forces and internal security.Polish national delegation, headed by Ministry’s of National Defense Undersecretary of State for Armament and Modernization, Mr. Marcin Idzik, was shown around the show, and paid a visit to the Bumar Group booth.At the DEFEXPO, the Fabryka Broni presented the most recent version of Radon MSBS (Modular Small Arms System), the pistols and the M1996 Beryl Defender assault rifle, incorporating the most recent modernizations of the Beryl platform.Participation in the trade shows gives an opportunity to meet business partners, discuss the deals and know the needs and expectations of the potential customers.

[105/99]IWA & Outdoor Classics 2012 in Germany

Another trade show premiere for the Fabryka Broni was the participation in the 39th IWA & Outdoor Classics, Europe’s greatest trade show for sporting and hunting weapons, accessories (including the continent’s largest gathering of airsoft gun replicas) and law enforcement equipment. A total of 1204 exhibitors offered their shooting and outdoor products o­n 74 000 sq. meters of exhibition rooms at the Nuremberg Messe to over 35 000 specialist visitors (the fair is closed to the general public, a proof of special interest – dealer, shooting club or media – is required to enter).At the Bumar-Żołnierz booth, the Fabryka Broni presented their Beryl-derivated sporting rifles in both 5,56-mm x 45 and .22LR calibers, as well as pistols and airsoft Beryl replicas, which were warmly welcomed by the visitors.By participating in a trade show of the IWA’s magnitude, the company had a magnificent chance to exchange views and experiences with the other show participants, and to reach out to many new potential clients, while at the same time to present the most recent products.

[105/93]SHOT SHOW 2012 in Las Vegas

It’s been a second consecutive year that Fabryka Broni along with Bumar Group took part in world’s largest shooting, hunting and outdoor trade fair in Las Vegas, the SHOT Show in it’s 34th edition, Jan. 17-20, 2012. As ever, the SHOT Show attracted thousands (actually 61 000+) of attendees from all over the world.This year Fabryka Broni widened the last year’s offer by presenting US-market legal Archer rifles and pistols in new caliber 5.45x39 (much sought-after in view of the cheap availability of surplus ammunition) as well as the Beryl-Sport rifle and carbine chambered in an ever popular .22 LR.This year’s SHOT Show also saw the world’s premiere of the airsoft 6 mm BB training replica of the M1996 Beryl assault rifle, 100% compatible with the real thing for a full compliance with all the accessories (RIS foregrip, receiver overhead 1913 rail, bipod, bayonet etc.). Click o­n this link (www.berylasg.pl) to learn more about the Full Scale ASG Beryl Replica.

[105/88]Beryl ASG

Fabryka Broni teamed up with Taktyczny.com during the 19th MSPO fair in Kielce to organize the official premiere of the new M1996 Beryl assault rifle ASG replica and provide the visitors with a hands-on testing at the airsoft shooting range adjacent to the main FB booth in Bumar pavilion. The latter proved a big hit, attracting more than a 1000 shooters throughout the four days of the fair and many inquiries from people interested in using these for safe weapons training and simply for fun. The ASG replica was intended mostly for the Polish Army for safe indoor training, but of course civilian purchases by ASG aficionados are most welcome as well.The civilian premiere of the ASG Beryl was held right after the fair, during Cracow’s ‘Syndicate Wars’ convention, held between September 9 and 11, 2011. The convention attendees were able to test the prototype and voice their opinions, and several others were o­n loan to the participants of the ten-hour long mil-sim LARP, the Syndicate Wars.ASG (airsoft gun) are full-scale externally faithful replicas of the firearms, shooting 6 mm plastic BBs by compressed air or gas. 6 mm BBs are light and the muzzle velocity is moderate, however the eye protection is mandatory for all participants. Military simulation (mil-sim) games involving teams fighting each other in tactical scenarios (live action role playing, or LARP) have become popular pastime all over the world, including Poland, and the number of participants is counted in hundreds and sometimes thousands.

[105/87]MSPO 2011

The 19th MSPO or International Defense Industry Exhibition as held September 5-8, 2011 in Kielce, Poland. As usual Fabryka Broni took part in this prestigious fair, showcasing its products within the Bumar-Żołnierz Core Business Division exhibition at the Bumar Pavilion. Current production offer as well as new offerings were presented, amongst them the 5.56 mm Negev light machine gun and the M1996 Beryl ASG Training Replica – attendees were able to test the latter at the adjacent ASG shooting range, right at the FB Radom booth. Also presented were the latest results of the o­n-going R&D projects, including the recent ‘3rd Gen’ mock-ups of the Radon (MSBS) 5.56 mm modular battle rifle. The attendees were also able to meet Angelika Jakubowska, the Miss Polonia 2008 and the face of Fabryka Broni.During the fair our booth was frequented by numerous visiting domestic and foreign officials.

[105/86]Fabryki Broni Team Building Event

On August 26, 2011 a team-building event was held for Fabryka Broni employees. Mr. Edward E. Nowak, CEO of Bumar Ltd., Mr. Ryszard Kardasz, Chairman of the Board of Przemysłowe Centrum Optyki SA and Director of the Bumar-Żołnierz Core Business Division, as well as Ms. Aldona Wojtczak, Chairwoman of the Fabryka Broni Board of Directors with members of the board were amongst the invited guest.The event allowed all present to better know each other, converse and have fun together, taking part in various contests and dancing, hosted by Capo Brasil band. o­ne of the events’ most memorable highlights was the appearance of the famous mime and parodist, Mr. Waldemar Ochnia.We would like to thank all the participants and the personnel of the Center for Ecological Education and Integration of the State Forest Authority in Jedlnia-Letnisko for sympathetic and professional services rendered and wonderful food which highlighted the event.

[105/85]NEGEV Light Machine Gun

On August 9, 2011 at the Suchodół/Tarczyn shooting range a presentation of the 5.56 mm Negev LMG was held by Fabryka Broni Łucznik-Radom together with Bumar Group and Stag Arms company. Members of the media invited were able to see the LMG in dynamic scenario and acquaint themselves with the design details.Currently the Polish Army has got no light machine gun / squad automatic weapon, and the squad automatic firepower rests solely o­n the GPMGs chambered for the full-house rounds – PKM in 7.62 mm x 54R caliber or the new UKM2000 in 7.62 mm x 51. These tend to weight much and are not individual weapons, requiring a two-man team, which is can be a liability in today’s dynamic combat scenarios – however they can and do provide the much needed long-range fire support from protected defensive positions or team’s vehicles. This situation creates a gap in Polish Army’s armament system, a gap which has to be plugged – and plugged fast, at least in the regular forces. The LMG for an intermediate round provides much more mobility and tactical flexibility, enabling to rise the firepower available at moment’s notice, while decreasing the combat load of the soldiers and freeing the former assistant gunner to perform other duties.According to the Fabryka Broni experts, the Negev LMG seems to be a viable proposition for the Polish Army. It’s been thoroughly tested over the years, the design has finally reached maturity and it is currently used by regular and special forces of the IDF, displaying excellent reliability in desert environment, common for the recent battlefields where Polish Army was deployed. The LMG has undergone rigorous testing by the Fabryka Broni specialists between May and August, proving its reliability in direct comparison with other leading models of its class. Therefore the FB decided to sign a cooperation agreement with Israeli Weapons Industry, stipulating that both companies would act together in introducing this successful design into the inventory of the Polish Army and cooperate in introducing it o­nto the foreign markets as well. According to the agreement, the Fabryka Broni would participate in manufacturing of the Negevs, supplying no less than 30% of their component parts.The Negev LMG was exhibited amongst the FB Radom offerings at this year’s MSPO fair in Kielce.

[105/84]SITDEF 2011 in Peru

The third edition of the military fair SITDEF 2011 took place in Peru between 11 and 15 May 2011. The exhibition was organized by the Peruvian Ministry of Defense and the Peruvian Army. Fabryka Broni presented at Bumar’s stand its newest goods, which enjoy visitor’s interest.

[105/83]The Polish-Czech agreement about co-operation signed during IDET 2011

On May, 12th, during International Exhibition of Defence and Security Technologies IDET were signed very important to Polish armaments industry agreements – in the presence of Lt. Tomasz Podlasin, the Military and Aviation Attache at the Polish Embassy in Prague.The agreement regarding the creation of a platform of co-operation in the area of research, development and the related production of equipment for the “Soldier of the Future” and commercial and marketing co-operation as well were signed by Ryszard Kardasz, the director of Division Bumar-Soldier and eng. Lubomir Kovarik, the President of the Board and eng. Ladislav Britanak, the Vice-President of the Board of Ceska Zbrojovka.The agreement regarding co-operation between Fabryka Broni “ŁUCZNIK” – Radom Sp. z o.o. and CESKA ZBROJOVKA Entertainment (CZUB) to the extent of the production of components for final production was signed by Mr. Tomasz Nita, the President of the Board of Fabryka Broni and eng. Lubomir Kovalik, the President of the Board and eng. Ladislav Britaniak, the Vice-President of the Board of CESKA ZBROJOVKA.

Fabryka Broni took part in the International Fair of Technology and Equipment for the Police and National Security EUROPOLTECH 2011 taking place between 13 and 15 April 2011 in Warsaw.The EUROPOLTECH Fairs are organized in co-operation with the National Police Headquarters and their mission is to support modernization processes in the police service, special forces and national security formations as well.During the EUROPOLTECH Fairs Fabryka Broni could present the full its offer, know needs and expectations of potential customers and establish contacts to start future co-operation.

[105/80]IDEX 2011 in Abu Dhabi

The International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) 2011 took place in Abu Dhabi (UAE) between 20 and 24 February 2011. Idex Is the largest exhibition of military industry at the Near East and the North Africa. More than 900 exhibitors all over the world presented their goods, among them Fabryka Broni “Lucznik” – Radom together with Bumar Group. Our booth was visited by the Minister of Defence of Nigeria.

[105/78]Shot Show 2011 in Las Vegas

Fabryka Broni „Łucznik” – Radom Sp. z o.o. - for the first time – has exhibited (at Bumar’s booth) its goods at SHOT SHOW exhibition in Las Vegas – the biggest such show in the world devoted to the weapon and ammunition for the civil market.The exhibition has taken place between 18 and 21 Jan 2011. Many people were interested in models of weapon presented at show, especially firing replicas of Polish pistols VIS wz. 1935 known in the USA as Polish Radom – the most reputable weapon construction made in Poland.
Miss Polonia 2008, Angelika Jakubowska has taken part in the exhibition. She was a glamour addition to the booth and our goods signing posters o­n which she was promoting mod. 96 assault rifle Beryl.
Shot Show allowed to establish new contacts and show our offer to big numerous of visitors, enthusiasts and professionals as well.

[105/77]MSPO Fair 2010

The XVIII International Defense Industry Fair (MSPO) was held o­n September 6-9, 2010, in Kielce, and Fabryka Broni „Łucznik” - Radom Sp. zo.o have displayed their products prominently within the Bumar Group exhibition.

The First and last days of the MSPO proved special for the Fabryka Broni. o­n the first day of the fair, our star exhibits this year, two mock-ups of the final MSBS-5.56 (the RADON) disposition in both classical and bull-pup configuration were unveiled by Minister Marcin Idzik with Bumar LLC’s CEO, Mr. Edward Nowak, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Mrs. Aldona Wojtczak, Director of the Division Soldier of the Bumar Group, Mr. Ryszard Kardasz and Fabryka Broni’s CEO, Mr. Tomasz Nita. The new design concept of the future battle rifle was greeted with big interest by the fair attendees.

On the last day of the fair, we were very pleased to be awarded the Fair’s Defender Prize for our Modernized, Enhanced Firepower M1996 Assault Rifle. We take this prize as an award and vindication for all our recent years of hard work dedicated to the modernization process of the Beryl rifle and Mini-Beryl carbine, aimed at enhancing battle worthiness of our product and tailoring it to the requirements of the modern battlefield, putting great demands o­n our soldiers, fulfilling their missions both stateside and abroad, within the international coalition forces.

The Fabryka Broni booth, presenting the newest trends in Beryl Rifle modernization and other of our recent products, was o­nce again overwhelmingly frequented by the crowds of fair attendees, both in uniform and not.

[105/76]Fabryka Broni: 85 Years of Tradition

On August 27, 2010, we have commemorated the 85th Anniversary of the State Firearms Factory (Państwowa Fabryka Broni) in Radom as well as the 10th Anniversary of the Fabryka Broni „Łucznik” – Radom LLC.

The ceremony was opened by a mass at the Radom Cathedral, led by bishop Adam Odzimek, whose father was a former employee of the „Łucznik” Metal Plant. During that mass a factory colors were consecrated. All employees and invited guests took part in the ceremony.

The Fabryka Broni’s CEO, Tomasz Nita, opened the gala, which featured speaches by numerous celebrated guests, including Members of Parliament Mrs. Marzena Wróbel, Mr. Radosław Witkowski and Mr. Marek Wikiński, Mr. Marcin Idzik, Undersecretary of State for Armaments and Modernization in the Ministary of National Defense, Mr. Dariusz Bogdan, Udersecretary of State in the Ministry of Economics, the Mazowsze Provincial Governor, Mr. Dariusz Piątek, City of Radom Mayor, Mr. Andrzej Kosztowniak, Deputy Provincial Chief of Police, podinsp. Rafał Batkowski, Bumar LLC CEO, Mr. Edward Nowak, Fabryka Broni „Łucznik”-Radom Board of Directors Headperson, Mrs. Aldona Wojtczak and many others. An important part of the gala was decorating the employees with „For Merits To The National Defense” Medals by Minister Marcin Idziak, as well as awarding „The City of Radom Honorary Medals” by Radom’s Mayor, Mr. Andrzej Kosztowniak.

Many thanks to all the distinguished guests for their presence and heartfelt jubilee congratulations. We count o­n your continuing support in company’s growth and common service to the good of the county’s defense and security.

[105/49]PARTNER 09 Defense Fair in Belgrade

PARTNER 09 defense fair was held in Belgrade, June 2-5. 75 companies from Serbia, Poland, France, Sweden, Israel, Belgium, Netherlands, Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Austria, USA, Slovenia, Serb Republic, and Bosnia-Hercegovina. Bumar Group took part in the fair for the first time, and Łucznik-Radom was there, contributing small arms to the Group’s exposition.

Following Łucznik-Radom’s products were exhibited:

5.56 mm x 45 NATO Mini-Beryl automatic carbine

5.56 mm x 45 NATO Beryl assault rifle

9 mm x 19 Luger PM-98 and PM-06 submachine guns

9 mm x 19 Luger P99 DAO and P99 QA semiautomatic pistols

9 mm x 19 Luger MAG-08 semiautomatic pistol.

[105/28]Europoltech 2009 Police and Security Fair in Warsaw

International Police and Homeland Security Technology and Equipment Fair Europoltech 2009 took place in Warsaw, April 22-24, 2009.

The Fair was declared opened o­n April 22 by Mr. Grzegorz Schetyna, the Internal Affairs and Administration Minister, who then took a guided tour of the exposition.

At the Bumar Group stand the Minister was greeted by CEO of the Bumar Sp. z o.o., Mr. Edward E. Nowak, who presented highlights of the Bumar Group offer, including small arms from Łucznik-Radom.

[105/50]IWA & Outdoor Classic 2009, Nuremberg

Between March 13 and 16, 2009, for the 36th time this sporting, hunting and outdoors trade fair was held in Nuremberg, Germany. The FB did not displayed their products, but an evaluation team from Radom was present at the fair, to see what other companies are offering in technology, modern design and production quality of their end products.

[105/27]Ten Years of Making Business with NATO: Possibilities and Chances

On December 15, 2008 we took part in a conference entitled „Ten Years of Making Business with NATO: Possibilities and Chances” organized by Agencja Lotnicza Altair and NATO HQ.

The conference was held under the auspices of Bumar Sp. z o.o., Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Economy, as well as The Warsaw Fairs, ‘Polskie Orły’ Foundation, Euro-Atlantic Association, Business Centre Club and Polish Private Employers’ Confederation ‘Leviatan’.

Among the distinguished guests were Mr. Bogdan Klich, Minister of National Defence, who opened the conference, Mr. Zenon Kosiniak-Kamysz, Vice-Minister of Defence and National Director of Munitions, as well as NATO representatives, led by Mr. Bogusław Winid, Polish ambassador at the NATO HQ.

The purpose of the conference was to acquaint the representatives of the national defense industry with NATO business opportunities and exchange the experiences of the last 10 years of business activity within the Alliance.

[105/4]DEFENDORY 2008, Athens

Defendory Arms Fair was held in Athens for the 15th time, between October 7 and 11, 2008. We have presented our products there within the framework of the Grupa Bumar products promotion abroad.

This is a largest hardware and armament exhibition in Balkan region as well as in whole of the Southern Europe, showing land, sea and air defense systems. Companies from all over the world were exhibiting their offer, for the first time o­n a new location – the Hellenikon Exhibition Center at the former airfield.

At the Bumar Group stand we presented following small arms:

5.56 mm x 45 NATO Mini-Beryl automatic carbine

5.56 mm x 45 NATO Beryl assault rifle

9 mm x 19 Luger PM-06 submachine gun.

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[105/2]MSPO 2008 International Defense Industry Fair, Kielce

Between September 8 and 11, 2008, we took part in the 16th
International Defense Industry Fair (MSPO), in Kielce, where we have presented our small arms, including a world premiere of the new Rad semiautomatic pistol. This exhibition with 400 defense industry companies from 22 countries (incl. USA, Great Britain, Israel, Brazil, Turkey, Russia, France and Switzerland) attracted 13000 visitors over 4 days. During the fair, our booth was visited by Minister of National Defense, Mr. Bogdan Klich, and Undersecretary of State for Munitions and Modernization, Mr. Zenon Kosiniak-Kamysz, as well as Chief of the General Staff, General Franciszek Gągor. The booth was also visited by numerous Polish and foreign guests and delegations.

At the MSPO Kielce 2008 we have premiered our new product – the Rad semiautomatic pistol. It was designed to meet the technical and tactical requirements for the new military handgun chambered for 9 mm x 19 Luger ammunition. This pistol features a polymer frame with a tactical light or laser module Picatinny (MIL-STD 1913) mounting rail, and high-capacity magazine for 15 (optionally – 18) rounds.

The new pistol would augment our military small arms offer.

[105/58]DSEi 2009 Defense Fair, London

The DSEi 2009 Defense Fair took place in London, September 8-11. We have presented our products within the Bumar Group offer for foreign markets. o­n the translucent Lexan wall stand we have displayed:

5,56 mm x 45 NATO Radom-Sport sporting rifle;

7,62 mm x 39 Aktyn Radom-Sport center-fire sporting rifle.

Striving to maintain modern and competitive outlook of our company, a scouting team of three from Radom visited the Fair to get acquainted with what other companies are offering in technology, modern design and production quality of their end products.

[105/59]MSPO 2009 International Defense Industry Fair, Kielce

Between August 31 and September 3, 2009 Łucznik-Radom took part in the XVII International Defense Industry Fair in Kielce, with a display of weapons at the stand of the Bumar Group.

This year the Bumar Group presented development programs and newest technologies implemented in Bumar Group’s companies over 4155 square meters. The Bumar exposition was divided into five groups: Air Defense, Future Soldier, Ammunition and Missiles, Vehicles and Equipment, as well as Training Equipment. Official delegation of the Ministry of National Defense headed by National Defense Minister, Mr. Bogdan Klich, with Polish Armed Forces commanders and other distinguished guests started their MSPO guided tour at the Bumar Group exposition. Our exhibits were examined by, among others, Major General Paweł Lamla, Chief of the Land Forces’ Training Command and Major General Edward Gruszka, Chief of Land Staff, Deputy Commander of Land Forces.

We have armed the Future Soldier with the ultimate modernized variants of Beryl rifle and Mini-Beryl carbines, Rad semiautomatic pistol and the PM-06 submachine gun. We have also displayed, for the very first time in public, a mock-up of the 5.56 mm modular small arms system, the MSBS-5,56, now under development.

Our weapons, P99 and Rad pistols, PM-06 submachine gun and Mini-Beryl automatic carbine were also featured at the mobile containerized shooting range, exhibited outside the Bumar Group pavilion, where members of the public were able to shoot them with real ammunition.

On March 16, 2009, President of the Republic of Poland, Mr. Lech Kaczyński, paid a visit to Radom, for a meeting with Łucznik-Radom’s CEO Mr. Tomasz Nita, Director Mr. Zygmunt Osóbka, and the representatives of Łucznik-Radom trade unions.

The meeting was devoted to the situation of the national defense industry in general and at the Radom plant. Mr. President has expressed his fears of the Armed Forces demise brought about by austerity measures implemented by the Government, including deep cuts in defense procurement, stressing that workplace and living standards of many employees of the national defense industry are at stake. Mr. President noted that Łucznik is a company with a long tradition. ‘Every self-respecting country of Poland’s size should have its own defense industry’ – he remarked. Asked what would he do help Łucznik, he said that he can act in his capabilities as President and Commander-in-Chief. Łucznik’s CEO, Mr. Tomasz Nita presented Mr. President with a replica pre-war bayonet as a souvenir of the meeting.